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ORGANIST EMERITUS, Dr Francis Jackson, CBE
FRANCIS JACKSON, CBE, a native of Malton, Yorkshire, was a chorister at York Minster from 1929 to 1933. He was a pupil of Sir Edward Bairstow, organist of York Minster, and gained the Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists with the Limpus Prize for the highest marks in organ playing in July 1937. In the same year he graduated Bachelor of Music at Durham University, and attained the doctorate there in 1957. He was organist of Malton Parish Church at the age of 16, and succeeded Bairstow at York Minster in 1946.
Dr. Jackson has given organ recitals throughout Great Britain and in Eire, Germany, France, Italy, Hungary, Switzerland and Denmark. In addition he has made several tours of the USA and Canada. In 1978 he visited the major cities of Australia and Tasmania, and in 1981 was a participant in the first Perth Organ and Harpsichord Festival in Western Australia.
He has been a frequent broadcaster, and has made records of organ music and with York Minster Choir, whose Master of Music he was until his retirement in 1982. He has played concertos with several British orchestras and at the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts.
Francis Jackson has written extensively for the Church and his output, in addition to anthems and service settings, includes six organ sonatas, along with many other pieces for the same instrument; a symphony and the overture Brigantia (Op. 38) for orchestra; also two monodramas in collaboration with John Stuart Anderson, for speaker, chorus and organ. In 1985 his Concerto for organ, strings, timpani and celesta (Op. 64) was commissioned by the Carnegie UK Trust in commemoration of the sesqui-centenary of the birth of Andrew Carnegie.
His Eclogue (Op. 91) for piano and organ received its first performance at the International Congress of the I. A. O. at Cambridge in July 1987. In 1993 he composed two organ duets, Ballade Op.97, and Suite Montrealaise Op.93 for performance during the International Congress of Organists in Montreal. A third followed in 1996 entitled Colloquy (Op. 106).
In 1961-62, Dr. Jackson was President of the Incorporated Association of Organists, and in 1972 was elected to the same office in the Royal College of Organists for a spell of two years. He is an honorary Fellow both of the Royal School of Church Music and of Westminster Choir College in Princeton. He was appointed CBE in 2008.
On retiring as organist of York Minster, he received the Fellowship of the Royal Northern College of Music, the Doctorate of York University and, at the hands of the Archbishop of York, the late Lord Blanch, the Order of St. William of York. His time is now devoted to composition and organ recitals. (photograph of Francis Jackson and David Bednall ©Delphan Records)
ORGANIST EMERITUS, Philip Moore
PHILIP MOORE was born in London in 1943 and received his musical education at the Royal College of Music where he studied Organ, Piano, Composition and Conducting.
In 1965 he joined the staff of Eton College and in 1968 became Assistant Organist at Canterbury Cathedral.
The Organist at the time was Dr Allan Wicks, a former Assistant at York Minster. In 1974 he succeeded Dr Barry Rose as Organist and Master of the Choristers at Guildford Cathedral and in 1983 moved to York Minster to succeed Dr Francis Jackson.
He holds a Bachelor in Music degree from Durham University and the diplomas of the Royal College of Organists, for which he received the Turpin, Limpus and Read prizes. He also has a degree and diplomas from the Royal College of Music.
In 2005 he was made a Fellow of the Royal School of Church Music for his work as a composer. He was also recently awarded honorary fellowships from the Guild of Church Musicians and the Academy of St Cecilia.
Extensive compositions for Church and Organ, numerous orchestral and chamber works and three cantatas for chorus and orchestra have resulted in an international reputation.
He has two daughters, one son and three grandchildren, and his hobbies include collecting old fountain pens, cooking, reading, flying kites and collecting Imari porcelain.
Philip Moore retired from his position as Master of the Music in 2008. In July of that year, he was awarded the Cross of St William by Archbishop John Sentamu in recognition of his time as Master of the Music at the Minster. A complete catalogue of his compositions can be found on the York Minster web page Music > Minster Composers.
(photograph: Meg Shorland-Ball)
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